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Step 1: Admit you have a problem.

Fri, Jul 26, 2013

Step 2: Come to terms with your addiction and learn to love it as part of yourself.

Step 3: Indulge.

Step 4: Begin to suspect there's a chance for something constructive to come out of all this.

Step 5: Start a blog.

Step 6: Make no apologies (at least not about the blog).

Step 7: ???

Step 8: ???

Step 9: ??? (OK, you probably get the point).

Step 10: Wonder if you should have condensed Steps 7-11

Step 11: It's too late now.

Step 12: Profit!!!

Creating twelve step programs is clearly not my thing. Too bad too; those things have potential to help people. Not to make light of what folks with real addictions have to deal with, but I thought the step-by-step approach might be a handy and mildly amusing way to lay out what this blog is all about. That, simply put, is my hobby.

My "Step 1" happened when my wife shrewdly and succinctly pinned this one on me when I was taking up beekeeping, "Your hobby is collecting hobbies". That assessment really cut to the quick. I'd always been more or less vaguely aware of my behavior. Other folks had even commented on it over the years, but the idea that my hobby was, in fact, a meta-hobby helped me square everything.

A sense of peace that comes from understanding a thing and giving it a name-- where before there was only vague recognition and unease-- descended upon me. I was no longer "a great starter" or doomed to be "a jack of all trades". Instead I was a damn good hobby collector. Step 2 was complete. Now armed with this perspective I will attempt to deliver unto you the blog which effectively allows me to get meta about my meta-hobby. Think of the children!

For what it's worth, I'm currently working through steps 4 and 5. I fancy I'd like to abide by the "Making no apologies" step too, but that has yet to be seen. As for step 12, well, profit's a funny thing. My idea of profit here would be to find a constructive outlet for sharing as I learn. My favorite parts of collecting hobbies are the process of figuring out the hows and whys of a new endeavor, and learning about the community of people who already partake. I'd be lying via omission if I didn't mention that I dig learning about and collecting the gear. Anyway, the world is brimming with things I don't know. The idea of so much to learn is simply brilliant to me. My hope is to be open as I pick up new stuff so that others of my kind may benefit and perhaps provide feedback and guidance (the constructive kind please).